Best Cell Phone Coverage 2021

There are four major wireless networks in the United States battling it out for coverage superiority. As it stands in 2021, here’s how the rankings look for best 4G coverage and best 5G coverage.

Best 5G coverage

1. T-Mobile: 36.7% 5G coverage
2. AT&T: 15.9%
3. Verizon: 10.9%

Best 4G coverage

1. Verizon: 70% 4G coverage
2. AT&T: 68% 4G coverage
3. T-Mobile: 62% 4G coverage

There are four major wireless networks in the United States battling it out for coverage superiority. To determine which network provides the most reliable coverage across the country, we looked at coverage data compiled by WhistleOut.¹

Best networks breakdown by 4G coverage

Verizon network: Best coverage

Verizon offers the most reliable coverage in the country.

What we like

Verizon offers by far the most coverage in the country. If you constantly find yourself without a signal, Verizon will be your best friend.

Top coverage

Verizon covers 70% 4G service across the country.¹ On average, Verizon users report getting 4G coverage 95.9% of the time while using Verizon’s network.² Depending upon where you are in the country, your coverage will probably feel even more reliable than that. The only pockets of America you need to worry about are more rural areas in the Southwest, Midwest, and Northwest. If you live close to any big cities in those areas, you should expect super reliable coverage.

Fast download speeds

We know that Verizon offers the best service, but what about the network’s data speeds? Unsurprisingly, Verizon boasts some of the best data speeds in the country, clocking in around 25.3 Mbps. You’ll notice we didn’t say *the* best data speeds—T-Mobile currently owns the fastest data speeds, but Verizon is a close second.

Instagram stories, YouTube videos, and online gaming apps should all pull up quickly and smoothly on Verizon’s network.

What we don’t like

Wouldn’t it be great if Verizon somehow managed to have the best coverage and cheap prices at the same time? Well, it doesn’t. Verizon plans are some of the most expensive phone plans out there.

Expensive

Since Verizon serves up the most reliable coverage in the country, getting on its network feels pricey. It’s kind of like eating at the fanciest restaurant in town—you have to pay an arm and a leg, but damn it if the food’s not delicious.

Here’s how the pricing breaks down for Verizon data plans:

Verizon plans get expensive fast, jumping up to $90 for its Get More Unlimited plan. You can find much cheaper wireless plans with unlimited data on different networks, but you won’t enjoy the same coverage reliability.

Alternative carriers on Verizon’s network

If Verizon’s plans cost a little too much, you can always get on Verizon’s network through an MVNO. An MVNO basically feels kind of like getting the cheap seats at a really expensive concert—you get to see the show, but you don’t always get the best view.

You can use an MVNO mobile provider that works on Verizon’s network, but you’ll occasionally run into deprioritization. In other words, your data speeds and coverage could drop in more congested areas because the Verizon network gives priority to Verizon customers.

Our favorite Verizon MVNO is easily Visible Wireless, which offers an unlimited plan for $40 on Verizon’s network. But really, you can’t go wrong with any of the Verizon MVNOs on the table below.

AT&T Wireless: Second-best coverage, fastest download speeds

AT&T offers decent coverage and speedy downloads.

What we like

AT&T easily pulls ahead of T-Mobile in terms of coverage and is actually catching up to Verizon.

Second-best coverage

As it stands in March of 2020, AT&T network covers 68% of the country, and AT&T users report enjoying reliable coverage 92.9% of the time.¹ It’s about a 1–2% coverage drop from Verizon to AT&T, making the coverage difference virtually unrecognizable for most the country. The difference between the two providers basically comes down to rural coverage. Verizon covers a few more remote areas that AT&T does not, but the coverage should generally feel the same in the vast majority of the country.

Solid download speeds

According to our data in 2020, AT&T users average 28.9 Mbps download speeds. It’s a few notches below what T-Mobile (32.7 Mbps) and Verizon (32.2 Mbps) offer, but AT&T’s data speeds are still pretty reliable. I’m an active AT&T user and very rarely encounter dead spots with my data speeds. For reference, here’s the average download speeds across the three major wireless networks.

Average data download speeds in 2020

With an average download speed of 28.9 Mbps, you should have no problem pulling up YouTube streams, Twitter videos, or Instagram stories. You should also be able to download apps without a problem.

What we don’t like

Most of the country is covered, but you should still look at AT&T’s coverage map. For example, if you live in Nebraska, you should really double check the coverage map. AT&T’s network in Nebraska is as reliable as the Nebraska football program. (Sorry, that was a low blow, Nebraska.)

Providers on AT&T’s network

AT&T offers a bevy of data plans that you can choose from. Recently, AT&T cut some of its free streaming and TV perks, but AT&T mobile still offers plans on a reliable network.

AT&T data plans

AT&T data plans certainly fall on the pricier end of the spectrum, but you can get on AT&T’s service network through an MVNO as well.

Other providers on AT&T’s network

Going with an AT&T MVNO can cut your wireless bill in half. Your service won’t be quite as reliable on an MVNO, but you shouldn’t see too dramatic of a difference. In particular, we are fans of PureTalk USA and Cricket Mobile.

T-Mobile: Third-best coverage, fastest upload speeds

Strong coverage with super fast data speeds

What we like

T-Mobile’s coverage falls behind what Verizon and AT&T offers, but T-Mobile makes up for it in other places, like data speed.

Third-best coverage

It’s a significant drop off from Verizon’s 70% 4G service coverage to T-Mobile’s 62% coverage¹—but that’s not how the users see it.

If it were a foot race between Verizon and T-Mobile, you would need a photograph to tell who finished first for the best cellular service, according to users. Thankfully, we have something better than a photograph (*Nickelback voice*)—we have a data graph:

Source: Opensignal

Verizon is only 0.5% more reliable than T-Mobile according to users but covers 11% more territory in the US.¹ That’s because the main difference between T-Mobile coverage and Verizon coverage falls under rural areas. Verizon covers more of the remote spaces of the country, while T-Mobile specializes in coverage in more urban areas.

Fastest data download and upload speeds

T-Mobile’s network may come in second for national coverage, but it comes in first place for data upload speeds. This is a big deal for any of you who happen to post Instagram stories, Twitter videos, or YouTube videos. Likewise, it’s a big deal for those of you who watch Instagram stories, Twitter videos, and YouTube videos. So, really, all of us.

Check out T-Mobile coming out on top for both download and upload wireless speeds.

The average T-Mobile user gets an 12.9 Mbps upload speed and 32.7 Mbps download speed, making it the fastest wireless option out there.

What we don’t like

T-Mobile’s coverage gets much more spotty as you venture out into the more rural areas of the country. For folks who spend a lot of time in the great outdoors, you might run into dead spots on T-Mobile’s network

Less reliable coverage in rural areas

T-Mobile should work for most people outside of rural areas, but there’s a 41% chunk of the United States without T-Mobile coverage.¹ If you hail from the great states of Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Utah, or Nevada, we would say to avoid T-Mobile altogether. You’re bound to run into dead zones frequently, and that’s annoying.

Providers on T-Mobile’s network

The most obvious choice for getting on T-Mobile’s network is, well, T-Mobile itself. T-Mobile’s unlimited data plans pack a lot of value, but they aren’t exactly dirt cheap.

T-Mobile unlimited plans

You can always go the budget route and opt for an MVNO that uses T-Mobile’s network. There are tons of options for MVNOs on T-Mobile’s network, but Mint Mobile would be our top recommendation.

MVNOs on T-Mobile’s network

Recap: You get what you pay for

If you pick the provider with the best coverage (Verizon), you have to cope with its higher-than-average price. In other words, you pay for what you get and you get what you pay for.

To recap, here are the rankings for best coverage providers in the country:

Best cell phone coverage by carrier

1. Verizon: 70% 4G coverage
2. AT&T: 68% 4G coverage
3. T-Mobile: 62% 4G coverage

Source: WhistleOut¹

Whether you live in a rural area or a more urban area, coverage is a big deal. You never know when you’ll need to get a text out or make a call. Just think how many horror movies could’ve been prevented with good coverage.

How has your experience been with these providers? Any horror stories or tales of redemption? Let us know in the comments below!

Sources

1. WhistleOut, “Guide to Finding the Best Cell Phone Coverage“
2. Opensignal.com, “Mobile Network Experience Report January 2020“